Chances are that managers in your workplace are feeling the squeeze more than usual right now.

It seems Gallup is picking up on this worrying trend too. In their latest 6 trends that leaders should watch in 2024, they reported that manager’s employee engagement and overall satisfaction has substantially declined and their intent to leave has increased.

In 2024, your managers are facing more than their usual pressures – leading hybrid teams, dealing with economic uncertainty, carrying out tough change programmes, as well as navigating downturns in employee wellbeing. It’s no wonder they’re feeling (and probably looking) a little ragged around the edges. They’re hurting.

Managers represent one of the most critical stakeholders in your organisation. Neglect to support, listen to and develop them at your peril.

Why are managers so crucial to your organisation and its success, especially right now?

Managers bridge the gap between senior leadership and frontline employees. Whether your strategy is implemented well or not often comes down to how well your managers buy into and roll out those strategies. According to Gallup, they account for 70% of the variance in their own team’s engagement. Your managers truly are the jam in the sandwich.

Mid-level managers understand the daily operations of their teams far better than executive teams often do.  They’re the ones best poised to identify inefficiencies, propose innovative solutions, and improve workflow.

Not only that, but there’s a direct link between increased rates of burnout and poor leadership support of direct managers.

So how can you support and develop your managers in 2024? Here are 3 ways…

1. Don’t ditch your targeted, customised leadership development programmes for this group

It would be tempting to slash and burn your leadership development and training budget for this stakeholder group. But now more than ever, managers need the skills and support to do their job well.

The best leadership development for this group:

• Is customised and includes topics like emotional intelligence, decision making and leading through change.

• Encourages cross functional learning where your managers engage with their peers in other departments to broaden their perspectives, improve cross functional collaboration and break down organisational siloes. This also helps them feel less isolated.

• Doubles down on coaching – peer coaching, improving coaching skills, mentoring. Anything that’s going to provide them with an opportunity to coach and be coached is gold right now.

One programme which does this is my blended leadership programme for emerging leaders, The Leader’s Map 😊

2. Focus on building a culture of psychological safety

This is table stakes these days anyway, but it bears repeating - trust and psychological safety are fundamental to organisational performance. Creating a culture where mid-level managers feel comfortable to speak up, to take risks, and to make mistakes is crucial, especially given the uncertainty of markets and the need for innovation.

How?

• Model vulnerability and transparency by sharing challenges and failures at the senior level, modelling the behaviour you want your managers to demonstrate.
• Ensure your managers have the space to share their concerns without fear of retaliation. How you do that depends on your unique culture, but make sure you have those channels.
• In developing their skills as leaders, double down on the importance (and provide tools and techniques) to help your managers foster psychological safety within their own teams.

3.  Support their wellbeing

Burnout is a critical issue in 2024 and in New Zealand, some of the burnout statistics are worse than ever. Mid-level managers are at high risk for burnout - feeling squeezed between senior management and their teams.

See this post and this post for the signs to watch out for and tips that can help. This article also dispels the myth that it’s under-performing or disengaged employees who are the ones most at risk of burnout (which is not the case by the way!)

Just because someone appears to carry things well, doesn’t mean that their load isn’t heavy.

I’m seeing and hearing time and again at the moment that it’s our middle managers who are really bearing the brunt of the current challenges. If you’re a leader – or simply a human – make sure you check in with those you know in these roles today, and consider how you can use the ideas here to further support them.

I’m seeing and hearing time and again at the moment that it’s our middle managers who are really bearing the brunt of the current challenges. If you’re a leader – or simply a human – make sure you check in with those you know in these roles today, and consider how you can use the ideas here to further support them.